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US fighter jets escort plane out of no-fly zone near Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort
NORAD F-16 jets deployed flares to intercept an unresponsive civilian plane violating restricted airspace near Mar-a-Lago, prompting airport ground stops and safe escort out, officials said.
- On Sunday, March 29, 2026, the North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled F-16 fighter jets to intercept a civilian aircraft that violated a Temporary Flight Restriction near Mar-a-Lago at approximately 1:15 p.m. Eastern.
- The civilian pilot lost communication with air traffic control, triggering standard security protocols; NORAD F-16 pilots deployed signal flares to gain the unresponsive pilot's attention and force a course correction.
- Although a Delta Air Lines pilot announced a "ground stop" due to a "drone scare," the White House and Secret Service clarified the event involved only an unresponsive private aircraft, with "no threat to Trump or his plane."
- Palm Beach International Airport implemented a temporary ground stop delaying departures for approximately one hour; normal operations resumed shortly after the civilian aircraft was safely escorted from the restricted zone.
- Violations of restricted airspace near Mar-a-Lago have occurred more than 20 times since 2024, underscoring why security agencies maintain rapid response protocols to enforce compliance and ensure presidential safety during travel.
42 Articles
42 Articles
An alert was issued near Air Force One in Florida due to a drone sighting, and helicopters were searching the area.
Suddenly alarm over Florida: A civilian plane enters the strictly secured airspace over Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate – seconds later, fighter jets arrive. What happens then makes a stir!
US Fighter Jets Intercept Civilian Aircraft Flying Near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said F-16 fighter jets intercepted a plane that entered restricted airspace near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 29. The civilian aircraft entered a temporary flight restriction zone near the estate at about 1:15 p.m. ET, prompting fighter jets to dispense flares in response, which were visible to the public, NORAD said in a press release. NORAD sai…
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